Working women need to know they can live, work and yes – entertain, peacefully and safely. Far from raising it for change, the voice of countless working women in India is stifled under the pressures of a daily work commute and the responsibility of managing their households. Not all residential locations are created equal – and certainly not for women in our largest metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune.

To identify the relatively safer and more convenient areas where women can live, work and relax in relative peace in these cities, we focus on some critical operative real estate factors, such as:

Proximity to work places and shopping areas

Proximity to schools

Safety at home and during commute

Adequate commuting options

Good healthcare facilities

Reasonably priced housing

Healthy, green environment

Some locations like Thane in Mumbai, for example, has evolved over the years from being a largely industrial hub to a location that sports large IT/ITes offices, offers a variety of malls and supermarkets, has reasonably priced housing within self-sufficient housing complexes, ample green cover and decent healthcare amenities.

Thane’s proximity to the BKC CBD has also enhanced after the opening of the Eastern Expressway, resulting in it becoming a location of choice for many working women in MMR today. Other locations which have evolved from humbler identities to become cosmopolitan hubs include Gurgaon in NCR and parts of Whitefield in Bangalore.

The changes in most cases present veritable case studies of improving social infrastructure that support women who seek a healthy work life / home life balance. They have developed in a manner that aligns with the growing demands of an ever-increasing women workforce.

Safety, especially for single working and senior citizen women, is a growing cause for concern in Indian cities. Not all new urban centres which have evolved on the periphery of the older cities can call themselves truly safe places for women. A lot more needs to be done by town planning and law enforcement agencies to ensure that women working late night shifts and single working and senior citizen women need not fear for their safety.

This list of areas is not exhaustive but is a fair representation:

Mumbai

Why They Score High For Working Women

Capital Values (Rs/sq.ft.)

Rent – 2 BHK / (Rs per month)*

Western Suburbs (Andheri, Vile Parle)

Good connectivity to the Eastern and Western suburbs, good social infrastructure, excellent public transport, proximity to domestic / international airport, workplace hubs, malls and schools.

Andheri: 15,000-25,000, Vile Parle: 25,000-35,000

Andheri: 40,000 -60,000 , Vile Parle – 45,000-65,000

Eastern Suburbs (Mulund)

Good connectivity to commercial locations like Thane, Airoli etc., green and pollution-free environment, proximity to malls, good spread of residential options

Mulund: 12,000-15,000

Mulund: 25,000-40,000

Thane

Good, serene environment, proximity to malls, good spread of residential options, proximity to work hubs in the Western and Eastern suburbs and Navi Mumbai, good healthcare facilities.

7,500-10,000

15,000-25,000

Navi Mumbai (Nerul)

Green and pollution-free environment, proximity to malls, good proximity to key workplaces hubs like Vashi, Thane and Belapur.

Row housing options with adequate safety provisions implemented by local RWAs, access to public transport and Metro linkages to CBD, well connected to prime commercial corridors of Nehru Place and Saket and shopping malls